*This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclaimer here. While we may use affiliate links, we would never allow this to influence product listings or recommendations.
A delicious, creamy and super flavoursome carrot and orange soup. This is a perfect light lunch or starter option with sweet and zesty notes and a small kick of chilli for warmth. Not only can you enjoy this soup guilt-free since it’s packed with healthy goodness, but it’s also great for batch-prep.
What are the health benefits of this soup?
First, let’s talk carrots. Carrots are a great source of vitamin A and have been shown to reduce cholesterol and your risk of cancer. And what about that old-wives tale about carrots helping you to see in the dark? While this is not strictly true, they do contain carotenoids which are an antioxidant proven to help reduce your risk of degenerative eye diseases!
Next, oranges. We’ve all heard how oranges are a great source of vitamin C. But what exactly does that mean? Well, vitamin C helps protect your cells from damage, boosts your immune system and helps your body create collagen.
Do I need to peel the carrot?
You don’t actually ever need to peel carrots before eating. A good scrub is enough and then you can leave the peel on before you roast them, boil them, saute them or even eat them raw. In fact, peeling the skin removes some of the nutrients of the carrot so it’s beneficial to leave it on.
Carrot skin can be a little more bitter than the rest of the carrot. So it can be advised to peel them before eating them whole or sliced. However, when simmering them down in a soup you won’t be able to notice this.
Can I use orange juice instead?
I don’t recommend using pre-made orange juice for this soup. Juicing your own oranges at home means that your soup will contain more vitamins and minerals in addition to increased antioxidants. Furthermore, many ready-made juices have a lot of sugar added to them which will impact the nutritional benefit of this recipe. It will also make the soup a lot sweeter in taste.
Can I freeze it?
You can freeze this soup for up to 3 months. Defrost thoroughly before defrosting in the microwave or on the hob/stove. You can also keep leftovers in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
What are the ingredients?
For a full list of ingredients with weights and measurements jump to the printable recipe card.
- Carrots, sliced
- Onion, sliced
- Garlic, crushed or minced
- Vegetable stock
- Orange, juiced and zested
- Chilli flakes
- Roasted pumpkin seeds and chopped parsley to serve (optional)
How to make it
For more detailed recipe steps with tips jump to the printable recipe card.
- Saute the carrot and onion in a large pan until softened.
- Add the garlic and cook for a further minute
- Add the stock, orange juice and chilli flakes and bring to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes.
- Use an immersion/stick blender to blitz to a smooth paste, or transfer to a heatproof food processor.
- Serve with the seeds and parsley scattered on top.
Looking for more great soup recipes? Try:
- Courgette soup
- Broccoli and cauliflower soup
- Carrot and coriander soup
- Chickpea and chorizo soup
- Sweet potato and red pepper soup
- Butternut squash soup with honey creme fraiche
Products that work well for this recipe:
Souper Cubes – freeze soups or sauces easily!
Russell Hobbs 3-in-1 Blender
Soup n Sauce Freezer Bag
Carrot and Orange Soup
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 1 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
A delicious, creamy & super flavoursome carrot and orange soup. A perfect light lunch or starter with sweet & zesty notes & a small kick of warming chilli.
The default recipe makes one portion.
Ingredients
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 100g / 3.5oz carrots, sliced
- 1/2 onion, sliced
- 1 garlic clove, crushed or minced
- 250ml / 1 cup vegetable stock
- 1/2 orange, juiced + zest (see note 1)
- small pinch chilli flakes (see note 2)
- roasted pumpkin seeds and chopped parsley to serve (optional)
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and carrot and cook for 6-8 minutes until softened.
- Add the garlic and cook for a further minute.
- Add the stock, orange juice and zest and the chilli flakes. Season well and bring to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes. (see note 3)
- Transfer to a heatproof blender or use an immersion blender to blitz. Season to taste.
Notes
- I strongly recommend freshly juicing the orange, as pre-made juices typically have a lot of added sugar.
- If you’re not a fan of the heat, skip the chilli flakes.
- Make sure to simmer the soup and not boil it as you’ll lose a lot of liquid and also nutrients from the veg.
- Leftovers can be kept in the fridge for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months. Defrost thoroughly before using and reheat on the hob/stove or microwave.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Hob / Stove
- Cuisine: British
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1
- Calories: 210
- Fat: 10g
- Carbohydrates: 25g
- Protein: 6g
Keywords: soup, carrot, orange, lunch, healthy, low fat, light, starter, appetizer
